i've recently discovered one of my favorite places to explore on bainbridge island - the beautiful property of the bloedel reserve.

the relaxing walk is approximately a 2 mile loop on a barked trail through fields, past the old sheep stables, through a gorgeous forest, past several ponds, onto the former residence featuring wonderful views of the sound, and finally through the japanese gardens. the grounds are impeccably kept, and the range of scenery presented along the walking trail keeps the views interesting, as you don't quite know what you're going to stumble upon next. diverging from the main trail are several off-shoots, all of which loop back around to the main trail.

bloedel isn't quite a park, more akin to a museum as their website describes. the property does not allow food, or running for exercise, so it is mainly populated with groups of quiet, casual walkers. luckily, they do allow amateur photography:

blodel reserve // bainbridge island // summer 2017

on the heels of our first viking fest this past saturday, j and i decided to tackle a hike up green mountain.

our initial brush with this area occurred a few weeks ago, when we decided on an impromptu afternoon trip up via the wildcat trail head. as a novice hiker, cupcake enthusiast, and long-term flatland dweller, i made it just a few miles uphill before asking how much further we had to go. we had snapped a photo of the map before beginning, but were still unfamiliar with the scale of the trail, and decided to head back down to return another day with more supplies, a bottle of water, and a little more information.

it turns out the wildcat trail is a much longer and steeper alternative to the gold creek trail up to the summit. if you happen to be looking for a break from civilization on your hikes, you don't even need to reach the mountain to begin. our wilderness adventure started in the car; as we lost cell reception en route as we wound through the hills toward green mountain. this was kind of fun to note on the way to our hike, but was decidedly less amusing on the way home as we tried to order pizza to pick up for dinner.